Rockies starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin sits in the dugout after giving up four runs to the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Timing is everything — and the only thing keeping Jhoulys Chacin in the rotation. Chacin is expected to start Monday in San Diego because the preferred replacements aren’t ready. Alex White, Tyler Chatwood and Christian Friedrich are all potential candidates to take over for Chacin, but each needs a little more time, according to Rockies’ management.

“It’s very easy to say (Chacin’s) out, and the next guy is in. But when you have youth that isn’t ready and you bring them up, then what have you accomplished?” manager Jim Tracy said today before the series finale against the Dodgers at Coors Field.

Tracy held a closed-door meeting with Chacin today, and the right-hander also talked at length with Rockies trainer Keith Dugger. Chacin insists he’s not hurt. But he appears to be suffering through a dead-arm phase. He admitted that the ball is not coming out of his hand the same, lacking life. His fastball velocity has dropped to 93 mph a few years ago to consistently 89 mph.

Sacramento 7, Colorado Springs 1
It was not a good night for two possible big-league reinforcements. Right-handed pitcher Alex White’s line didn’t look too bad — three runs (two earned), three hits, four walks in 4 2/3 innings — but he needed 86 pitches to get there. The Rockies need more efficiency before White would be called up.

And while Jordan Pacheco’s .418 average is impressive, he committed two errors at third base Tuesday night, one throwing, one with the glove.

Arkansas 3, Tulsa 2
Lefty prospect Nick Schmidt had a nice start for the Drillers. He gave up no runs in 5 2/3 innings, allowing just three hits with no walks and five strikeouts.

Infielder Josh Rutledge has yet to get hot at the plate. He went 0-for-4 and his average sits at .255.

Visalia 1, Modesto 0
Modesto 10, Visali 1
Nuts starter Juan Gonzalez allowed a first-inning home run but pitched all seven innings of the first game, allowing just one run on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

In the second game, DH Jared Clark hit his second home run of the season and drove in four of Modesto’s 10 runs.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.